What must an invoice contain?
Swedish bookkeeping and VAT law set specific requirements for what an invoice must include. Here's a walkthrough of those requirements, and what the various numbers on an invoice actually mean.
Mandatory information on an invoice
A Swedish invoice must include: the invoice date, a unique sequential invoice number, the seller's name and address, the seller's organization number and VAT registration number, the buyer's name and address, a clear description of the goods or services, and for each VAT rate: the taxable amount, the VAT rate, and the VAT amount. Missing any of these means the invoice doesn't meet the Swedish Tax Agency's requirements.
OCR number, VAT number, and organization number, what's the difference?
These three numbers are often confused but mean completely different things. The organization number identifies your business with the Swedish Companies Registration Office and Tax Agency, the same number is used in all official dealings. The VAT number is the organization number with a country code, used specifically for trade within the EU. The OCR number is a unique payment reference generated per invoice, it lets an incoming payment be automatically matched to the correct invoice during bank reconciliation, and has nothing to do with the organization number.
What is reverse charge VAT?
Reverse charge VAT means the buyer, rather than the seller, reports and pays the VAT. It's commonly used for construction services between VAT-registered businesses within Sweden, and for services sold to VAT-registered buyers in other EU countries. In that case the invoice should omit the VAT amount and instead state that reverse charge applies.
How long must invoices be kept?
Under Swedish bookkeeping law (Bokföringslagen), accounting records, including invoices, must be kept for seven years after the end of the calendar year in which the relevant financial year ended. This applies even if the business later closes or switches invoicing systems.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to include an OCR number on every invoice?
No, it's not a legal requirement, but it significantly helps both you and your customer reconcile payments, especially for Bankgiro or PlusGiro transfers.
What happens if an invoice is missing mandatory information?
The customer may have grounds to reject the invoice, and it won't meet the requirements for the buyer to reclaim input VAT.
Do the same rules apply to sole traders as to limited companies?
Yes, the basic invoice requirements are the same regardless of business type, it's the organization number versus personal ID number that differs.
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